Lewis Hamilton has admitted that Mercedes’ upgrade is “definitely not the step forward” he was hoping for ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

The seven-time world champion said after May’s Miami Grand Prix he was “counting down the days” for the upgrade he hoped would propel him back to the front, and he was given his first taste of Mercedes’ revamped machine at last weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.

Hamilton qualified sixth in Monte Carlo before making up two places in the rain-hit race. Team-mate George Russell finished one spot behind Hamilton in fifth, while Max Verstappen raced to his fourth win of the season.

The Monte Carlo layout has been among Mercedes’ worst tracks and Sunday’s race here at the Circuit de Catalunya on the outskirts of Barcelona is set to represent a truer reflection of the team’s outright speed.

But addressing Mercedes’ upgrade on the eve of the seventh round, Hamilton said: “It is definitely not the step forward that we were hoping for.

“The true step forward we were hoping for was to [overturn] a one-second delta [to Red Bull] in race trim, and we have not covered that with this step.

“When you bring upgrades, naturally you should be progressing forwards, and the fact is that it is an improvement, but it just not the improvement we had dreamed of.

“It is one step at a time. I don’t feel negative towards it, I am grateful we have it, and I understand how much work has gone into making these parts, the rush that has gone on, and the amount of flat-out work by the team.

“We are hugely hungry to move in the right direction so I would say that I am just hopeful that it puts us on a better track.

“We have taken account of where we are, where we have gone wrong, and now we are slowly chipping away and navigating our way back to the front but unfortunately it is just a long process.”

Hamilton finished 39 seconds behind Verstappen on Sunday as the Dutchman extended his championship lead over team-mate Sergio Perez to 39 points.

Red Bull have won 16 of the last 17 grands prix, with Verstappen firmly on course to secure his third world title in as many years.

And Verstappen said his team – which has dominated the sport since a major overhaul of the regulations at the beginning of last season – has the speed to win all 22 races.

“I would say at the moment, that we can,” said Verstappen. “But that’s very unlikely to happen.

“There are always things that go wrong, a retirement or whatever. But purely on pace at the moment we can.

“We have always seen dominant periods in Formula One and this is nothing new. If we look back at the 80s, the 90s, the 2000s, early 2010s to all the way until 2020, it’s pure dominance of certain teams.

“The longer you leave the regulations the same, the closer people will get. So maybe this is something we need to look at.”

Not many Flat races are won by 22 lengths, and even fewer when they are Classic trials. So Aidan O’Brien can be forgiven for saying Betfred Oaks favourite Savethelastdance’s performance at Chester was a little unusual.

Well beaten on her only outing at two, the Galileo filly arrived on the Roodee on the back of a Leopardstown maiden win at odds of 20-1.

But she will never be close to resembling that price again. Sent off odds-on in an admittedly below-standard renewal, there was nothing below-standard about her display as despite being niggled along early, she took off just after halfway and pulled further and further clear.

“I’m not sure you can ever be confident, you’re always hopeful,” said O’Brien, who is bidding for a fourth straight win in the Classic and 11th overall.

“It’s a different track, it will be different ground, so for everyone it will be interesting and we’ll learn a lot. That is why we all go racing and we’ll be watching like everyone else.

“I think it’s going to be very exciting to see what does happen when she has all those different things to contend with, but what she has done so far looks a little bit different.

“When you go up in distance lots of different things can happen. We’ve won the Oaks with fillies who have never run over anything near the Oaks trip before, so lots of different stuff can happen, there’s a lot of quality fillies in there so it will be exciting for everyone to see who comes out on top on the day.

“We started her this year in a very good maiden at Leopardstown that usually good fillies come out of and she won and I suppose everything has gone very well since.”

Reacting to her wide-margin win in the Cheshire Oaks, O’Brien said: “Her Chester run was very unusual. Usually when you see those things it can be an optical illusion as it can be a case of the rest stopping rather than one quickening up, but the times said she was quickening, which is unusual in a strongly-run race.”

While some have questioned Savethelastdance’s ability to handle good ground as well as she goes through soft, her trainer feels she should even improve for it.

“Most by Galileo we’ve had want better ground, they wouldn’t want it soft at all, and with Scat Daddy on the dam’s side you’d say absolutely she should want better ground, so it will be interesting to see. If you looked at her pedigree you’d say she wouldn’t want it soft, but she does bend her knee a little,” said O’Brien.

“She hasn’t done an awful lot of work since, she doesn’t need much as she’s a very clear-winded filly, so she’s just been cantering away and seems very happy.”

O’Brien also runs Red Riding Hood and Be Happy, both outsiders.

The only other trainer since 2014 to have won the Oaks is John Gosden and, now sharing the licence with son Thady, he looks the main threat again with Pretty Polly winner Running Lion and Musidora scorer Soul Sister.

“The fillies won their trials with authority – a Listed and a Group Three – and they very much belong in the race. Both fillies have a lot of speed, and stamina wise you never really know until you go the mile and a half,” said Gosden senior.

“They are both really bred to be mile-and-a-quarter fillies and the last bit you just don’t know, but you can’t practise it at home.”

Soul Sister’s jockey Frankie Dettori, riding in his last Oaks, which is part of the Qipco British Champions Series, said: “John kept on believing in Soul Sister.

“When she ran at Newbury the ground was heavy and John’s horses weren’t running well at the time, but she took me by surprise at York. She travelled, she quickened twice, and she clocked a very good time.

“I was impressed. She has to go an extra two furlongs but all the signs are good.”

Charlie Appleby and Godolphin took the decision to supplement Lingfield Oaks Trial winner Eternal Hope.

“Eternal Hope has done well since Lingfield. We have a nice draw down in stall five, which will hopefully help William (Buick) get into a decent position and allow the filly to run her best,” Appleby told the Godolphin website.

“She’s a filly who started her career in a Wolverhampton novice in February and all she has done is improve ever since. She’s stepped up and improved week on week. Physically, she’s got better all the time.

“She’s a trial winner, at a track that tests a horse’s ability to handle sharp bends, and she acquitted herself very well. It is seen as a test for Epsom, which shouldn’t pose any problem for her.

“As can sometimes be the case, the Oaks field will contain several who are unexposed and Eternal Hope comes into that category, even though she won a trial.

“She travelled very well at Lingfield and finished off her race strongly. She put herself into the Oaks picture as a strong contender with that performance.”

Jack Channon’s Caernarfon finished fourth in the Guineas and the trainer hopes the extra distance will bring about improvement.

“Every time we have stepped her up in grade, she has risen to it,” he said.

“We will be taking on well-touted fillies who have done very well in their Oaks trials, but they have got to step up in class and we’ve already been and proven that we can sort of mix it at that sort of level. We just hope that the extra distance will elevate her a couple of places.”

Heartache Tonight is trained in the UK but has run only in France to date for David Menuisier, shaping well in a Group One last time out.

“I think the step up in trip will definitely suit, she’s pretty much guaranteed to stay,” he said.

“Whether she will handle the track or not, we don’t know, but the same applies to all and let’s hope the ground is not too quick. She’s quite lanky and unfurnished still, so I would rather her not to run on too quick ground as we speak.

“Until we try we don’t really know, but the ground in the Cleopatre was near enough good that day and Cristian (Demuro) has always felt she wouldn’t be ground dependent, as long as it is not rattling. I’m happy to try.”

Andy Murray will return to action next week at the Lexus Surbiton Trophy.

As expected, having skipped the French Open to focus on his Wimbledon preparations, the former world number one has taken a wild card into the Challenger event.

Murray played the second-tier tournament, which always attracts a strong field, last year for the first time since 2004, losing in the semi-finals to Denis Kudla.

Murray said: “The LTA’s Lexus Surbiton Trophy is a great way for me to start my grass-court season.  It’s nice to play somewhere that has the feel of a traditional club and I’m hoping to get some good matches and practice in there during the week in front of the British fans.”

Dan Evans is a more surprise inclusion having said following his first-round defeat in Paris to Thanasi Kokkinakis that he would not be seeking a Surbiton wild card.

Evans will also headline the Challenger event in Nottingham the following week, when Murray is more likely to play at the ATP tournament in Stuttgart, where he reached the final last year.

Venus Williams, meanwhile, will make her return to the Rothesay Classic in Birmingham having played there for the first time in 2019.

The 42-year-old has not played a tournament since January but is giving the grass another go and will return to action in the Netherlands at the Libema Open beginning on June 12.

Amo Racing will launch a two-pronged assault on the Nyetimber Surrey Stakes at Epsom on Friday, with both Olivia Maralda and Magical Sunset donning the purple silks of Kia Joorabchian’s racing operation.

Both fillies are returning to seven furlongs having raced either side of that distance most recently and it is Olivia Maralda who appears to have the best chance of scooping black type in this Listed event.

The daughter of Kodiac rarely disappointed when trained by Michael O’Callaghan last term, with some of her highlights including a successful raid on Newbury and chasing home Aidan O’Brien’s Meditate in the Group Two Debutante Stakes.

Switched to Roger Varian in the close season, she was upped to a mile for her return in the 1000 Guineas, acquitting herself well before fading in the testing conditions at Newmarket inside the final furlong.

Now the filly returns to the distance some of her best outings have come at in search of a first victory in Pattern company.

“I thought Olivia Maralda ran a fantastic race in the 1000 Guineas,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager for Amo Racing.

“She looked nailed on for fourth until the final furlong and then in that ground it just sapped it out of her.

“Dropping back to seven furlongs will suit and she goes there in good form.”

Meanwhile, Richard Hannon’s Magical Sunset was a Listed winner at Newbury in heavy ground as a juvenile and was sent off favourite at the Berkshire venue for the Fred Darling on her seasonal bow.

Dropped back to six furlongs at Ascot following a fifth in that 1000 Guineas trial, she was seen doing her best work late which has prompted a swift return to further.

“We came away from Newbury and the Fred Darling a little disappointed and then we dropped her back in trip to six furlongs for the Commonwealth Cup trial,” continued Pennington. “All she did at Ascot was stay on and run like she was screaming out for further.

“Royal Ascot will be her target and we’ll look at something like the Sandringham. This is a stepping stone for that, but she’s a very nice filly.

“These are two very nice fillies and they go there with live chances but I think Andrew Balding’s Holguin is the one to beat, he has some good form in the book. However, they are both good fillies and should run nice races.”

The consistent Holguin heads the bookmakers lists on the back of two neck seconds so far this season.

The Kingsclere representative was just touched off by Ralph Beckett’s Angel Bleu in a Haydock Listed event most recently and is a worthy market leader.

Meanwhile, the Nick Bradley Racing-owned Secret Angel is another filly in the line-up bringing top form to the table.

The Karl Burke-trained daughter of Dark Angel was a Deauville Listed winner last term and has performed with credit in two outings so far this season, finishing third in the Nell Gwyn before fourth to Sacred when taking on her elders at Lingfield.

“There was a case to run her in a Group Two in France against three-year-old fillies, but I just thought this race was small on numbers and although I’m not sure we’ll beat Holguin, I think she will will run well,” said Nick Bradley, managing director of Nick Bradley Racing.

“I think the track will suit, the trip will suit and I’m going to watch all the previous Woodcote and Surrey Stakes, but stall one, I think I would have chosen stall one right now.

“She is in good form at home and last time out at Lingfield I kind of felt we were running against the all-weather specialists and a couple of really classy fillies who are effectively Group One horses in Sandrine and Sacred.

“It’s a drop down in class, I think she will run a big race and I will be disappointed if she wasn’t first or second.”

Cameron Norrie still has business to attend to at the French Open but the British number one is looking forward to having celebrity backing at Wimbledon this summer.

Norrie could hardly be described as a rock and roll tennis player but he revealed an unlikely friendship earlier this year when he hit with singing superstar Jon Bon Jovi.

Bon Jovi watched Norrie in Miami and the 27-year-old is hoping to see him in his player box at the All England Club.

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“It was so cool to play with him,” said Norrie, whose girlfriend knows one of Bon Jovi’s sons.

“He is really liking tennis more and more, and I think he’s going to make an appearance at Wimbledon and come watch. So it’s cool to see him enjoying it. To meet him and to hang out with him was great.

“I’m not really the biggest of his fans. Obviously I respect his music and I know a lot of his songs. It’s cool to see him getting involved in tennis and liking it. He’s playing almost every day.

“I’ll hopefully see him hitting some balls over Wimbledon time. I’m sure he’ll be enjoying Wimbledon. I think he has a couple of shows planned in British summertime as well.”

Norrie will try to break new ground at Roland Garros on Friday when he takes on talented young Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the third round.

The British number one is through to this stage for the third year in a row but has never been further, and to do so he must reverse the result of a clash on clay in Barcelona a few weeks ago.

“I was playing at such a high level with him and I lost a bit of concentration and a bit of focus, and my level dropped a lot, but I was able to figure out ways to win points,” said Norrie of 21-year-old Musetti.

“I think I have a pretty decent game to play him but I’m going to have to play really, really well. His best surface is clay and he’s had a lot of really tough matches.

“He took Djokovic to five here, so he can play well. I think it’s a really tough draw and I’m really going to have to play my best with him to have a chance. He beat me in the last one so, good guy, good third round. I’m expecting a tough match.”

While Musetti represents a step up from his previous opponents, Norrie will no doubt be relieved not to have to take on the French crowd again after his victories over Benoit Paire and Lucas Pouille.

The Paire clash was a five-set rollercoaster but Norrie lost only seven games against Pouille and played down concerns over the strapping under his left knee.

“In the first round with Benoit, I hit a smash at the back of the court early in the second set and I felt it a little bit,” he said.

“I think as tennis players we’re dealing with a few niggles here and there. I’ve been working hard with my team to make sure I’m getting my body as ready as possible.

“I was able to play with no problem, so it was a good sign. I was really happy with how I moved and reacted and returned and made a lot of first balls. It definitely didn’t hinder my performance at all.”

While Norrie has been the only British singles player remaining in Paris since Monday, representation in the doubles is still going strong.

Jamie Murray and his New Zealand partner Michael Venus moved through to the third round with a 6-1 7-5 victory over Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah on Thursday.

Murray linked up with Venus following the retirement of his former partner Bruno Soares last year and the pair have already won three titles together, including in Geneva last week.

“We did really well,” said Murray. “I think we played a really good match. We knew we’d have to play well to get those guys. I’ve played them so many times.

“We did a lot of good things today so I’m happy. I’m excited about where the team is right now and where we can get to.”

Frankie Dettori feels his final Betfred Oaks ride is one of only three fillies who hold a real chance in Friday’s Epsom Classic.

The Italian, who is retiring at the end of the year, will partner John and Thady Gosden’s Soul Sister as he bids for a seventh victory in the Group One contest.

The Frankel filly won a Doncaster maiden as a two-year-old and then started her three-year-old campaign in the seven-furlong Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury, coming home last of 12 on deep going that she could not operate in.

That run was quickly forgotten in the Musidora at York in May, however, when she announced herself as an Oaks contender with a decisive four-length triumph when stepped markedly up in trip.

The Classic on the opening day of the Derby meeting then became the plan for the Lady Bamford-owned bay, who will face 10 rivals.

Of the York, run Dettori said: “I was impressed because the filly quickened twice. She clocked a good time and I was pleasantly surprised and impressed.

“When she ran at Newbury on heavy ground, John’s horses needed a race at that moment in time.

“She’ll have to run an extra furlong and a half, but all the signs are good.

“She settled well and she finished the race strong, I believe that (the trip) will not be an issue, but until you try you don’t really know. I think she’ll be fine.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Savethelastdance is favourite and comes into the race off the back of an incredibly impressive 22-length rout in the Cheshire Oaks.

Naturally Dettori considers her to be the chief challenger to Soul Sister, with the Gosden-trained Running Lion also a threat after her convincing Pretty Polly win at Newmarket in early May.

“Savethelastdance, I didn’t ride in the trial at Chester but wow, she won by 22 lengths, it was very, very impressive,” he said.

“She brings very good form to the table – of course I’m going to be frightened by her, but we’ll give it a go with Soul Sister.

“Maybe I’m being a bit silly but to me there’s only three fillies that can win it – Roaring Lion, O’Brien’s and mine. They’ve (the rest) got a big gap to bridge.”

King Of Steel will attempt to break Amo Racing’s Classic duck when he lines up in the Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday.

Kia Joorabchian’s operation has yet to taste success in the sport’s truly flagship contests – but came close to Derby glory with their only other runner so far in the race, Mojo Star, who finished second to Adayar at 50-1 in 2021.

Now hopes are pinned on Roger Varian’s strapping colt defying similarly long odds when he tackles the undulations of the Surrey Downs.

Although an impressive winner on debut at Nottingham in the autumn before going on to run in Group One company at Doncaster, he has not been seen yet since joining his new trainer at Carlburg Stables having been withdrawn at the start after getting upset in the stalls when due to run in the Dante at York.

However, having passed a required stalls at Leicester earlier this week, he will now attempt to become the first horse to win the Derby on their first start at three since the William Haggas-trained Shaamit in 1996.

“We’ve always been a huge fan of the horse,” said Tom Pennington, racing and operations manager at Amo Racing.

“It was unfortunate what happened at York, but he came through his stalls test at Leicester on Monday with flying colours and Roger has been pleased with his work throughout the spring and likes the horse.

“It’s a big ask to run in the Derby on your seasonal reappearance, it’s the biggest three-year-old race of the year, but we would like to think he will outrun his odds.

“We genuinely thought he was overpriced in the Dante and he had been working well before that. Both Kevin (Stott, jockey) and Roger had been happy with him and that race would have been an ideal springboard for the Derby. It just didn’t happen.

“I’m a big believer in everything happens for a reason and maybe he would have had gone to York and had a really hard race and that might have affected his run this weekend. So you have got to try to take the positives out of it, he went up there and had a nice away day, he’s since been to Leicester and been through the stalls and you’ve got to take things as they come.

“Touch wood he will have a blind on in the stalls and he won’t repeat what he did at York.

“Whatever he does on Saturday will be a bonus for the remainder of the season. He’s a lovely big horse who is still filling his frame and maturing and I think he will improve as the season goes on.”

The Amo silks will also be represented in the Betfred Oaks on Friday afternoon when the Richard Hannon-trained Maman Joon takes the ‘Mojo Star route’ to Epsom, lining up in a Classic as a lightly-raced maiden.

In fact Maman Joon has been sighted just the once, when second to Gather Ye Rosebuds at Newbury, but connections are happy to roll the dice with the daughter of Sea The Stars.

“She’s a lovely filly and Richard has always held her in high regard,” continued Pennington.

“It looks a massive task to go there as a once-raced maiden, but she goes there in good form and has been working well. We’re hoping she can outrun her odds.

“She’s a lovely filly but you’re up against some of the best three-year-olds of a generation and the way Aidan’s (O’Brien, Savethelastdance) won at Chester she looked very good and obviously John Gosden’s filly (Soul Sister) who won at York has to be respected – understandably the competition looks very strong.”

Westover found matters conspiring against him on his last visit to Epsom but has the chance to banish those memories when he lines up in a high-class edition of the Dahlbury Coronation Cup on Friday.

Ralph Beckett’s four-year-old was a rather unfortunate third in the Derby behind Desert Crown 12 months ago, seeing his passage blocked up the home straight and having gained compensation when winning the Irish equivalent impressively at the Curragh, will now bid to win a second Group One.

Kept in training by owners Juddmonte, the son of Frankel put up a fine performance on reappearance to chase home Japanese superstar Equinox in the Dubai Sheema Classic and is reported to be in good order ahead of his first appearance of the year on home turf.

“All has been good, he’s in great nick. He worked nicely on Saturday and the ground is good for him, everything has gone well, Ralph and his team are very happy,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for Juddmonte.

“It was a big run in Dubai, he likes good ground, we know that now. He’s a big horse with a knee action and we thought he’d go on softer ground, but I think the Arc showed us he can go on it fine but he’s better on fast ground, so hopefully we get that and he can run a big race.”

John and Thady’s Gosden Emily Upjohn will also look to correct the Epsom record having been thwarted by a short head in the Oaks a year ago.

Her quest for Classic glory took a further hit when transport issues ruled her out of the Irish Oaks, but she broke her top-level duck at Ascot in October when leaving an underwhelming display in the King George behind her to claim the British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes in real style.

She makes her seasonal bow here, with Gosden senior saying in relation to her delayed reappearance: “We had a look at Dubai and it was too soon for her. We had this February and it was sort of spring like, it fooled all of us and the fillies and then along came a cold and wet March and April and a lot of the fillies just went back into themselves.

“A lot of the colts did similar and then we’ve had a lot of testing and heavy ground, so I think it’s been a bit of a muddling first part of the season with a combination of the two. To that extent she was very much taking her time, but she seems to be coming to herself now.”

In contrast, Point Lonsdale has already been seen twice this term and will now try a mile and a half for a first time as he bids to add to his winning sequence.

A smart juvenile, the Aidan O’Brien-trained colt was seen only once last season due to a setback, but is unbeaten since his return this year, following up a game success in the Alleged Stakes by claiming the Huxley Stakes at Chester.

“It’s going to be interesting and we’re interested to see what will happen over a mile and a half,” said O’Brien.

“He’s always looked like a horse crying out for this trip. We kept him at seven as a two-year-old because at the time he was our best one over seven, but he always looked like he wanted a mile at two.

“He then ran in the Guineas and got injured and started back at the Curragh this year on very soft ground, so we didn’t know what would happen there because he’s a very good mover.

“He won well that day, looking like he’d get further. After that we were thinking of this race, so to try to get him as sharp as we could, we felt the best way to do that was Chester. It was a little bit sharp but it all went well. It’s going to be interesting.

“It’s a very good race, five very good horses and that is how you want every race. Win, lose or draw, you want the best horse horses in the best races and you can learn about your own horses going forward, that’s what we all want.

“You never mind getting beat if a better horse beats you and this is how you find out how good your own horse is.”

Also back to what looks his best following an absence is Charlie Appleby’s Hurricane Lane, who was third in the Derby during his Classic season before going on to win the Irish Derby, the Grand Prix de Paris and the St Leger.

The five-year-old disappointed in both starts last term and having also failed to sparkle in the John Porter at Newbury in April, many feared his career at the top-level may be over. But he showed all the qualities of old when a six-length winner of the Jockey Club Stakes last month to the delight of his Moulton Paddocks handler.

Appleby told Godolphin’s website: “He showed a return to form last time, which we were delighted to see. It had been a little bit of a bumpy road prior to Newmarket. At Newbury previously, he was ring rusty and conditions took their toll in the end.

“From that run to his second run, we saw marked improvement in his physical presence and his alertness. He got his racing brain back engaged. With those good older horses, it often takes a run to get them back in the game again. I have been delighted with him since that run and I’d say he has improved again. He’s tighter, and sharper mentally. He’s got plenty going for him.”

The select field of five is rounded off by intriguing German raider Tunnes, who not only is a half-brother to Arc hero Torquator Tasso but also claimed the German St Leger and the Group One Grosser Preis von Bayern in 2022.

His trainer Peter Schiergen is no stranger to success on the biggest stages, winning the Coronation Cup in 2002 with Boreal and the 2011 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe with Danedream, who landed the King George the following year.

He is excited for his latest raid, in a race that forms part of the Qipco British Champions Series.

“I have a good feeling about the long journey to England. I’m very optimistic,” he said.

“He’s taking on better horses now than at home of course, but I think he’s good enough. I think he has the same class as Boreal and Danedream. He’s better on soft ground, but he acts on any going and good ground will be fine for him.”

Alder will be redirected to either Royal Ascot or the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby after a unsatisfactory scope saw him ruled out of the Betfred Derby at the 11th hour.

The Dee Stakes runner-up was poised to represent trainer Donnacha O’Brien in the Epsom Classic on Saturday afternoon, but his name was missing from the declarations made on Thursday for the showpiece event.

With his handler unwilling to risk the son of Australia in such a deep contest when not at 100 per cent, connections will now point the colt towards either the King Edward VII Stakes at the Royal meeting later this month or again target Classic glory at the Curragh on July 2.

“Everything was going to plan, but his scope wasn’t 100 per cent perfect this morning after his last day riding out. It’s a real shame, but just one of those things,” said O’Brien.

“It’s not a race you can go into not being 100 per cent. We couldn’t run him once his scope was slightly off.

“I imagine his two options now will be the King Edward or the Irish Derby, he’s likely to go to one of them.”

Meanwhile, Alder’s stablemate Proud And Regal could be poised for a return to 10 furlongs following his seventh-place finish in the Irish 2,000 Guineas at the weekend.

“He’s come out of the run well,” continued O’Brien. “We haven’t made a plan with him yet, but he’s in good form after the race. I think it is likely we will go back to 10 furlongs for his next run.”

An animal rights protester has indicated she is prepared to break the law in order to “do what’s right” by the horses at Epsom this weekend.

The Jockey Club was last week granted a High Court injunction against Animal Rising demonstrators planning to disrupt the Betfred Derby on Saturday.

The application was lodged by the club, which owns Epsom Downs, because it felt the organisation made it “explicitly clear” it intends to breach security at the Surrey racecourse to stage a disruptive protest.

During a debate on Sky News on Thursday morning, Animal Rising spokeswoman Claudia Penna Rojas was asked if she is prepared to break the law.

She replied: “I’m prepared to do what’s necessary to do what’s right by these animals and try and prevent them from being harmed.”

Pressed on whether that means breaking the law, she said: “If it means breaking the law, we know that law isn’t always equal to morality and we know that people have had to break laws throughout history to create the change that we need.

“And, again, what this is about is protecting these animals. It’s about trying to create the change that we need to see where we don’t see animals as property, where we don’t see them as objects that are used for our entertainment and value them and care for them as the beings that they are.”

Nevin Truesdale, chief executive at the Jockey Club, replied: “That’s for the police and the courts to decide and the court says where we will end up because there is an injunction in place, they will be in contempt of court and therefore it is illegal.”

Truesdale said the sport “has never been safer” for horses, adding: “We love these equine athletes, these superstars who get fantastic care behind the scenes.

“99.8% of horses come back from their races perfectly safe and sound.

“We’ve spent… As an industry, we’ve spent #40 million on welfare over the last 20 years.”

Penna Rojas said protesters will not run in front of a live race.

“Their welfare, the welfare of the jockeys, the welfare of the people there is absolutely our priority,” she said.

Meanwhile, Frankie Dettori – riding in his last Derby before retirement – told BBC Breakfast he hopes things will be “smooth” this weekend and the event passes off without anyone being put in danger.

“Let’s hope that protesters don’t impede this kind of beautiful event,” he said.

Jockey Club officials fear the protest will endanger participants, racegoers and horses – although they said they do not dismiss the right to peaceful protest and have offered Animal Rising an area near the racecourse’s entrance to demonstrate.

The injunction granted by High Court judge Sir Anthony Mann bans people from going on to the racetrack and carrying out other acts with the intention and/or effect of disrupting the races.

Such acts include intentionally causing objects to enter the racetrack, entering the parade ring, entering and/or remaining on the horses’ route to the parade ring and to the racetrack without authorisation and intentionally endangering any person at Epsom Downs racecourse during the two-day Derby Festival.

Those breaching the court order may be subject to contempt of court proceedings and fined or jailed.

There was disruption at the Grand National at Aintree in April when the race was delayed by just over 10 minutes after demonstrators made their way on to the track and had to be removed by police.

Emma Raducanu has split with her coach of less than six months Sebastian Sachs.

Raducanu only appointed the former German player in mid-December, but she has announced a parting of the ways.

“I have really enjoyed Seb’s coaching and working with him, it’s unfortunate that circumstances made it unfeasible for both of us to continue right now and we have decided to part ways. I wish Seb all the best moving forwards,” Raducanu tweeted.

The 2021 US Open champion is currently sidelined and could miss the entire grass-court season following surgery on her wrists and ankle.

Sachs was her fifth coach in two years, following Nigel Sears, Andrew Richardson, Torben Beltz and Dmitry Tursunov.

The 31-year-old coached Swiss player Belinda Bencic when she won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.

His brief stint with Raducanu included the Australian Open in January, but their partnership is now over.

Auguste Rodin, Military Order and Arrest form part of a 14-strong field declared for the Betfred Derby at Epsom on Saturday.

Much has been written about Auguste Rodin, and while he was well beaten in the 2000 Guineas, Aidan O’Brien – who also runs San Antonio and Adelaide River – retains maximum faith in the Deep Impact colt.

Military Order is bred to be a Derby winner being a full-brother to trainer Charlie Appleby’s 2021 winner Adayar and did little to dispel the impression that he will go close to maintaining family honour when taking the Lingfield Derby Trial.

Arrest will take all the headlines should he prevail, as he is the final Derby mount of Frankie Dettori.

Trained by John and Thady Gosden, the son of Frankel was a Group One runner-up as a juvenile and looked the part on his return in the Chester Vase.

His run in France behind the reopposing Dubai Mile was on heavy ground, while the heavens opened over the Roodee.

He will face very different conditions in the premier Classic, but connections are hopeful he will be at least as good, if not better, for it.

“He’s a very good horse and at Chester it was just about getting him some more experience on an undulating track,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“He’d been to Sandown, Ffos Las and Saint-Cloud, all pretty straightforward tracks, so Chester was about introducing him to a tight, undulating track which he handled well.

“He then went to Epsom for a gallop and he handled that as well, quickening clear of his work companion, so he’s in good form. He did his last piece at the weekend and went nicely.

“There’s been a lot of talk about the ground, but he won his maiden at Sandown on good to firm, hopefully he can give a good account.

“He’s a fine, big, well-balanced horse so I think he’s better on good ground. Looking at him, that’s what I think.

“France wasn’t ideal, if it was three-quarters through the season rather than last race of the year he probably wouldn’t have run on that ground as it was so bad, but we knew he had the winter off so took a chance.

“He hit the front a furlong out and the ground probably just caught him out and the horse of Charlie Johnston’s got back up and did him on the line.”

Sir Michael Stoute and the Derby need little introduction and 12 months on from the victory of Desert Crown, the Freemason Lodge handler has supplemented Passenger, winner of the Wood Ditton and unlucky in running when dead-heating for third in the Dante.

The winner on the Knavesmire was Andrew Balding’s The Foxes, while immediately behind Military Order at Lingfield was the Ed Walker-trained Waipiro.

Donnacha O’Brien’s Alder was not declared, but there is further Irish representation through John Murphy’s Dante runner-up White Birch and Jessica Harrington’s Sprewell.

Artistic Star is an unbeaten Galileo colt representing Ralph Beckett, who sent out Westover to be third last year, and Roger Varian runs the giant King Of Steel with Dubai Mile’s trainer Charlie Johnston having a second string to his bow in the shape of Dear My Friend.

Marco Botti’s Yorkshire Cup hero Giavellotto will seek further staying riches later this summer with the Al Shaqab Goodwood Cup highlighted as his next target.

The four-year-old rose rapidly through the handicap ranks to earn a crack at the St Leger last season and acquitted himself with real credit in that staying Classic to pass the post in fourth, promoted to third following interference.

Although disappointing in the Dubai Gold Cup in his first outing of the year, he thrived when stepping onto the Knavesmire for the Yorkshire Cup, highlighting himself as a top-quality operator to reverse Doncaster form with Eldar Eldarov.

Despite that race often serving as a trial for the Gold Cup, Giavellotto does not hold an entry for the Royal Ascot feature and although supplementing did briefly come under discussion, connections have decided to stick with their original plan to swerve the summer showpiece.

The Mastercraftsman colt will now be primed for action on the Sussex Downs on August 1 where he will try to land his first Group One prize.

“He’s come out of the race at York well and we’re pleased with him, he seems in good form,” said Botti.

“We had a good catch up with the owners and they decided they don’t want to go for the Gold Cup at Ascot and we will stick to the original plan.

“Even before he won at York, I felt the extra few furlongs of the Gold Cup wasn’t going to help him run his best race and we always felt it wasn’t going to be the race we were aiming for.

“We’re going to skip it and aim at the Goodwood Cup on August 1.”

Giavellotto holds an entry in the Comer Group International Irish St Leger at the Curragh on September 10 and that could prove a further port of call with Botti plotting a potential path to the Melbourne Cup at Flemington in November.

He continued: “If he does well at Goodwood then we have entered him in the Irish St Leger on September 10 and then we if we go any further, we haven’t ruled out the Melbourne Cup.

“It is not a firm plan, but we will consider it and make a decision as we go along.

“He definitely stays the two miles. I felt the one-mile-six at York was always the race we wanted to go for as I felt the track and trip was tailor-made for him and I’m glad he showed what he was capable of.

“He was probably unlucky in the St Leger. He didn’t have a clear run and in Dubai it just didn’t happen for him, but he showed that in the right conditions, on the right track he is quite a nice stayer.”